Power Couplings
by house-of-green
Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan go flying right after he is accepted as a Padawan. This is the reason Obi-Wan tells him to stay away from Power Couplings in Episode II.


"Hey, Obi-Wan, since we have some free time, can we fly?" A young voice asked

Anakin Skywalker had just been made a Padawan to Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and they had a day before they were to start their first mission together. Anakin's voice was still full of hope and life, and his eyes were sparkling with excitement.

Obi-Wan stopped walking, put his right hand on his hip, and looked down at the boy.

"Anakin, what would be the use in flying?" His stomach churned slightly at the thought of flying, he was not very good, surely the boy could outfly him.

"Master, we should practice before we have any missions where we really have to fly! Besides, I bet racing you would be fun!" He mimicked his Master, putting his right hand on his hip, his voice demanding. A soft smile played on his pink lips.

Obi-Wan did responded with a wave of his hand, a roll of his eyes, and a wave of his hand. Anakin was astounded and stood looking at his Master with his mouth open. There had to be a way to get Obi-Wan to agree to fly.

"But Master, it would be really constructive for us to fly together! We really should go! Aren't there any speeders we could borrow?" Obi-Wan walked up to Anakin and bent down to look into his eyes. He noticed how much happiness he found there, and realized that after a few months of training his eyes would mirror his own: determination, strength, cold. His hatred of flying could endure a short session, perhaps it would even be fun to work together. They already shared a strong force bond and could send short feelings and words to each other.

"Alright, Padawan, but just this one time. Afterwords we will go to the library and study more about the history of the Jedi Order and how it is connected to the Republic." He put his hand on Ani's back, guiding him through the temple. Anakin had not yet learned to navigate around it, the temple was too extensive and there were too many things going on inside of it. He had a hard time quieting his mind enough to feel his way around using the Force. They went through hallways that led to rooms of Younglings training, and Anakin scoffed. He wouldn't have to study in those rooms full of other Jedi-in-training. He was good enough to go straight to missions.

They reached a door that led onto a balcony full of different kinds of speeders.

"Come, Anakin, let's use these." Obi-Wan motioned to some matching blue speeders in the corner.

Anakin scoffed at his Master. "No, Master, those aren't any good. Let me look around until I find one I really like." Anakin strolled around the room and examined the different speeders.

"Anakin, what is wrong with these blue ones?"

"They don't go very fast, Master. Plus, there's no open cockpit! What fun would that be?" Suddenly, he cried "Master, this one! Look, it's fast, it has an open cockpit, and it's even my favorite color. You can still use that blue one, if you want, but these are much better." Anakin said this in a know-it-all tone, but he did not mean it rudely.

Obi-Wan touched his hand to his forehead and started to walk back to the blue speeders. "I don't care much for open cockpits. I will take the blue one. Can you please try and respect me for more than 5 minutes? Oh, and Anakin?" Obi-Wan stopped and turned back to his Padawan. "Do not go too fast, alright?"

"Of course not, Master." Anakin smiled and waved as he got into his yellow speeder. He took time to examine the placement of the controls, memorizing them easily. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, had a more difficult time figuring out a speeder he had not previously used.

"I hate flying." He mumbled under his breathe.

"Ready?" Anakin asked over their Force bond.

"Yes." replied Obi-Wan, though he did not feel ready at all. In fact, he felt sick.

Obi-Wan ordered them to open the hanger, and Anakin took off immediately.

Obi-Wan followed closely, but could not match Anakin's maneuvers. He spun and died at outrageous speeds and angles, and in ways that would surely get anyone else killed.

"Let's just fly around the city once." Obi-Wan said through the Force

"Whatever you say, Master." And with that Anakin flew around the city-the back way.

He zoomed in between other speeders, barely missing the tops of people's heads. He spotted a narrow alley-way. "Master, let's go this way, I bet it's shorter!"

"Now, Anakin, we should stay on course. Please follow my lead."

Anakin paid him no attention, however, and took the way he was sure would be shorter.

"Blast it!" Obi-Wan cursed and turned around to follow his Padawan. He could not even follow simple orders while flying. How was he supposed to train him?

"Anakin, I really must insist that you follow me." Anakin did not respond to Obi-Wan's orders, and kept speeding faster and faster through the alley.

They suddenly found themselves behind some buildings, surrounded by power couplings.

"ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan was yelling over their Force bond, but once again Anakin just ignored his Master's cries.

"Stay away from power couplings!" He screamed as he hit the first coupling and electricity surged through him and his speeder, causing it to sputter.

Anakin was laughing as he tried to avoid all the power couplings, thinking this the best challenge yet. He turned left at the end of the row of couplings to head back to the temple, not waiting for Obi-Wan to catch up to him. He landed cleanly, and jumped out of his speeder to look around for Obi-Wan.

About 30 seconds later, he flew in and landed. He got out of the speeder and ran to Anakin.

"Why would you go that way when I expressly told you to follow me? Those power couplings are dangerous, Anakin! You do not need to take risks like that to show off. You need to listen to me. Don't be so hasty to be a hero." Obi-Wan scolded the young Jedi harshly, a hand on his hip and waving a finger at him.

Anakin bowed his head and looked his feet.

"I am sorry, Master. I just love to fly. I wasn't in any danger. Maybe you will win next time."


End file.
